1. Field
The present teachings relate to a battery and a battery pack including the battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, due to developments related to electric and hybrid cars, power storage, and various mobile devices, research and development in secondary batteries has been actively conducted. Low capacity secondary batteries are used in small electronic appliances, such as laptop computers. Large capacity secondary batteries, which including a plurality of secondary battery cells, are used in devices having high demand for electric power, such as electric cars.
When charging/discharging a secondary battery, heat is generated in the battery, and in particular, in a central portion of the battery. The greater the capacity of a battery the more heat is generated, since the charging/discharging is performed using higher load currents. Heat generation may reduce the lifespan of a battery and may cause problems regarding the performance and safe handling of a battery. Therefore, a secondary battery having improved heat dissipating capabilities is needed.